Durch den Willen Gottes
by horatiohappened
Summary: AU where Elsa is from a conservative family and Anna is a Jew, set in Nazi Germany. (1939-1941) A/N: I'm going to keep this as accurate as possible, but for the sake of the story I may either need to time-skip or include details that aren't exactly to date.
1. Prologue

_**30th January, 1939**_

The hall was filled with people as the Fuhrer took his place upon the stand at the front of the room. Surrounded by his most trusted men, he addressed to the crowd a proposal by Roosevelt himself. All of Germany was in front of their television sets (those who could afford it) and all others at their radio sets. The small town of Hildesheim was of no exception, where all of it's residents listened in earnest to the latest proposal from America, present in front of an audience live in Berlin. A young girl looks upong the blurred image on their screen, sat with her family in front of the television set in their large estate in uptown Hildesheim. Her father proudly sits tall beside her mother, never once faltering in concentration.

The Aryan girl gazed upon the flickering black and white image on her screen of the countries new leader, a righteous man who had saved Germany from the depression and hyperinflation dilemma. Henrich Gottschalk often reminded Elsa and her mother that as servants of God, they must serve the man before her on the screen, as their prophet from God himself.

".._.teilung wurde durch die Verkündigung des bolschewistischen Lehre gebracht._" A scoff of disdain sounded from behind the girl, cross-legged on the floor by the television set. Often she had heard talk of the bolshevist movements being cause of German suffering. "There ist an infection, Elsa," her father spoke, not tearing his eyes away from the screen "and our Fuhrer is our doctor."

An infection of the mind, that was what had lead to the Treaty of Versailles. She was a learned girl, her school giving her plentiful resources to study and learn of the treachery that had befallen the once proud Germany. Her father had not hesitated to support the rise of the Natzi regime, who had already set their country on it's road to prosperity once more.

"_Heil!_" The sound ricocheted off the walls of the Gottschalk living room. Henrich joined in jovially with the audience in attendance of the speech itself, and grinned proudly as his daughter and wife followed suit, all of the family in a pleasant mood. Elsa could not help but smile at her family around her - to see her mother, cradling her sleeping brother in her arms, smiling after the years of little to eat but bread and tap water was truly a blessing. She would thank the Fuhrer when he did eventually visit them at the local youth meeting, with all her heart that he could have brought such happiness and make Germany prosperous again.

She smiled once more, and promised to herself and to God she would be his willing servant in this battle on Earth.

* * *

Static fills the are air as the radio crackles to life for the evening broadcast. A strong voice recognized by all the world as that of the Fuhrer begins to address his people. Of those of the Hasidic community who could tune into the broadcast, many would avoid the Fuhrer's broadcast in a stage of passive protest, but not tonight. Even those in the ghetto's of Germany, living in slums and on the brink of starvation, knew this would be a monumental address by revealing to the people Roosevelt's proposal.

The air had been alive with a spark of anxiety in the last few months, ever since it was announced there had been communications concerning the invasion of surrounding Europe, Jews and Christians alike lay in wait of possible negotiations. Many had escaped from Germany before restrictions were put into place, but those who could not afford to do so by legal means chose to stay. The Erlichmann's were no different.

A girl with auburn hair and freckled cheeks sat by the radio on her Papa's knee, listening intently to the muffled words strewn out from their battered Air Master tabletop. The daughter of a once respected Rebbe turned trader gripped her fathers' arm tightly as laughter filled the air following an extensive list of countries Roosevelt has explicitly stated the invasion of would result in the outbreak of war.

"_Polen, Ungarn, Rumänien, Jugoslawien, Russland_ …" Laughter filled the air, the audience in attendance at Berlin were in awe at the extensive nature of Roosevelt's letter. The age-worn man gently patted his daughter back in a knowing gesture, keeping his ears on both the broadcast and the streets outside. It was not uncommon for raids on known Hasidic households to be carried out, and the first had already shaken up his daughter enough to prevent her sleeping for two weeks.

"_Ha'makom_, Anna. The time time will come when our freedom returns to us" Ezekiel spoke calmly, thoroughly convinced of this fate. "_A'donai will give them up into your hands, and you are to do to them as I have given you order_s" he smiled, and Anna smiled back as this frequent repetition of the forbidden script she had taken to become her mantra. She trusted just as her father that they would achieve their freedom someday - as long as they remained honest to themselves and honest to God, there was nothing truly to fear.

This did not change for a moment the fact she was a young girl in a strange dystopia, where destiny of persecution lay within one's heritage. It did not stop her clutching her fathers' arm tighter as a voice blared through the radio once again, stronger than ever.

"_Weltkrieg zu stürzen, dann wird das Ergebnis nicht der Sieg des Judentums sein, sondern di Vernichtun der judischen Rasse in Europa!_" The cheers sounded through the small room, cut off sharply by her father.

Anna clutched his shirt and neither moved from that night. Only she new her resolute promise, to stay honest despite the harships to be forced upon them.


	2. Strangers on a Bus

**_EDITOR'S NOTE:_****  
Ok, I know in the reviews a lot of you were asking for a word bank to translate the Hebrew and German in the Prologue. I did anticipate that, but didn't have time to add it in as I had to upload and run to make it to my grandma's on time. ANYWAY.**

**_Ha'makom _is Hebrew, and is used to comfort somebody mourning. Anna's father uses it as they mourn the loss of their freedom, but knows it will return someday. The following quote about giving unto one's hands is actually a quote from the Torah itself.**

**_A'donai _is Hebrew for "Our Lord" or "The highest" as you do not ever pronounce "YHVH" in the Torah. Humans are unworthy to speak God's name according to the Judaist teachings.**

**As for Hitler's speech, the first extract in Elsa's home is stating that "bolshevist" (Judaist) movement is causing problems and infecting the country. This is a general translation because I lost access to the manuscript. (Trying to recover it!)**

**In Anna's broadcast, the first extract is literally a list of countries how they would be said in German: "Polen" is Poland, etc. The second extract (don't shoot me) is taken directly from Hitler's address in 1939 and basically says "this war will not be victory for the Jews, but will be the start to extinguish all Jews from Europe!"**

**So, that was it! Also, for this chapter, "Hitler-Jugend" is the German name for the Hitler Youth.**

* * *

**_18 December, 1939_**

Breathing. Heavy breathing and scuffling of feet echo through the side streets as the street lamps begin to glow in the late afternoon of winter. The small body was running home from her latest endeavour, books clutched desperately in her arms, in an attempt to make it home before her designated curfew. Jews in Germany had it tough, it was no secret and the latest instalments of a curfew by 6pm and restricted shopping times for groceries was only another way to ensure that the Hasidic communities that did make any money were left often without. Ration cards always seemed to fall shorter than that of her neighbours.

Anna Erlichmann was one of the brightest 15 years olds in her small town of Hildesheim, and it was left unsaid in her household and local community that this was likely the sole reason for her allowance to stay at her school whilst next to all other Jewish children had left by order of the authority. Still, she did not for a second feel she was privileged but simply that others of her community were fellow victims of a sore injustice to the descendents of Israel. She knew all of this very well, but had equally learned very young that there was a time and a place to exhibit honesty in this ever changing hell that was becoming of Germany - her home was now her prison.

Despite all of this, however, Anna was not bitter. She did not hold contempt in her heart but only sadness for the injured and compassion for her suffering people. It was this part of her nature that left the small girl rushing through ever darkening streets.

"I couldn't ignore her, though," she thought aloud. "It wouldn't have been right, leaving an old woman without something to warm herself." Anna smiled in self-assurance as her now bare feet clunked heavily inside her old shoes against the pavement beneath her. She had another pair of stockings at her home, albeit only one other, and it is more than most had nowadays. She even had bread awaiting her along with her father. Of all the treatment she had seen from hidden spots around alleyway corners, in the peripheral of her vision as she was passing through the town, she couldn't ever deny the reality that she was privileged to have even a home to go to and a father still by her side. A bittersweet memory of her mother flashed in her mind as she ducked by a ladder left out against the wall of the local food market. It was the last time she had seen her mother alive, or at all for that matter.

_"I will see you soon, won't I mama?" asked the freckled child as her father held her up to kiss his wife's cheek. Anna was nearly 14 years old now, but nonetheless was short for her age from malnutrition no doubt. Still, excitable as ever and strong-willed despite facing more hardships than a young girl should have at her age. Lea Erlichmann smiled and bent over to hug her daughter with a kiss on her forehead. "Of course, you must be good for Papa now. You understand?" Anna nodded in earnest, eager to show her compliance. Her mother smiled once more and gently stroked Anna's hair before kissing her father goodbye. "I love you both. Be safe, both of you." _

The sound of wheels and an engine fast approaching jolted Anna from her thoughts. Hailing the bus with what gesture she could manage in an attempt to avoid her books crashing to the ground, she was almost run over when the vehicle did not stop right away. _Of course_, she thought. _How could it see me? _With a self depricating smile, she dropped what change she had saved for the short ride and took a space by the window, her battering cloak tightly wrapped around her dress to ward off the cold. It was a trick of fate for a girl so lively to also be so physically invisible when the situation so called for everything other than to not be noticed. Still, at least she was out of the growing darkness and on her way home.

It had not be but five minutes since boarding when the bus stopped again. One of the most beautiful young woman Anna had seen stepped onto the bus and smiled politely at the bus driver who excused her from paying the fare. Anna would have been incredulous about this years prior (had she been mentally as old as she was now) but knew better through the recent experiences that changes under the Fuhrer's rule would permit this. And not only permit this, but encourage it.

The girl was the perfect German. Her skin was pure, almost white as snow with almost unnaturally white-blonde hair and an elegant posture. Dressed in her brown uniform and carrying a satchel on her back, she walked down the bus and took a seat by Anna. "Heil" the red-head spoke quietly with a raised hand, acknowledging the embelm of the sewn to the older girl's brown shirt. She smiled, and nodded with approval, raising her own hand in salute. "Heil Hitler!" With a light dusting of rouge, the Anna averted her eyes and studied the scenery out the window. A task proving ever difficult in light (or lack thereof) of the time. It took but a few moments for the girl with golden hair to speak again.

"I'm Elsa. What is your name?" She smiled at Anna the way an older sister would her young sibling, coaxing them not to be afraid of the monsters in the cupboard. This did not ease the girl's nerves, having a Hitler Youth so close to her and ready to give her up no doubt. Still, she would be honest as she promised to her parents and to God.

"Anna. My name is Anna."

Elsa nodded gently, frowning in thought for a moment. She seemed to be considering something carefully before she spoke again. "Don't I know you from somewhere? School, perhaps?" Anna gave a small shrug. She was not at all comfortable and quite frankly she was afraid. Afraid of the thoughts that invaded her mind and flashes of being thrown out of the bus to be taken away by the Gestapo. They would surely take her father, too. But still, Elsa was persistent. Neither girl knew why.

"In any case, I'm sure that we will remember eventually," the blonde tried. "I've just come from my Hitler-Jugend meeting, it's very tiring but I am doing our country a service." The happiness and pride in Elsa's tone made Anna sit with unease but a smile forced it ways upon her lips. She must remain social, any person would feel honoured to be spoken to by such a perfect example of the master race.

"Yes, it must have been. You still have some mud on your trousers. Though, they are both brown, you probably wouldn't be able to tell unless close up!" Anna joked, before quickly looking at her lap, not entirely sure how Elsa would take this stab at friendly banter. She only looked up when she heard a soft giggle, relaxing only slightly when she notices the girl beside her is smiling at her. And Anna can't help smiling back. "What are you best at?"

"Hmm…" Elsa placed a finger to her chin, thinking slowly over the many activities the Hitler-Jugend were trained in. "I am quite good at dealing with injuries, frostbite happens from time to time on retreats. I've gotten used to that" she smirked. "What about you? I'm part of the 12th SS Panzer Division, but each division differs in how they train us."

Anna noticed, with relief, that the bus was pulling into her street. She pressed the bell to signal the bus to stop before quickly gathering her things.

"I'm not part of the Hitler-Jugend."

And with that, a stunned Elsa watched the mysterious girl exit the bus swiftly, but not before catching a glimpse of the yellow star sewn across her sleeve beneath her cloak.


	3. Brown Shirts

**A/N**

Oh. My. Oz. I just checked the traffic graph after uploading the last chapter. I didn't expect this fic to get 100 views, let alone three hundred plus. I can't even explain my excitement when you guys post a review to help me with the next chapter. There are aspects I didn't even know how to elaborate on, but hearing some of you stating them explicitly gave me some more inspiration so this next chapter will be more of a filler/backstory chapter at school. It might be shorter than the other chapters so far, too, but I always aim for 1,500 words. J

Also, a shout-out to Hexagon for pointing out my spelling mistake in Strangers on a Bus. It is jugend and not jegund. I get letters mixed up often so I'll have corrected that by the time this chapter is posted!

And something Strawberryluv brought to my attention: The title translated roughly to The Will of God or God's Will. I had a tough time deciding on the title but as anti-semitism is entirely theological prejudice, and there will be reference throughout the story to theological ideas, I decided on this. It also helps with an easter egg I'll be revealing at the end of the story that only my partner and proof reader would be aware of.

* * *

_**20th ****December, 1939**_

Elsa stepped through the door to her home, lost in a cloud of thought. She had sat on the bus and conversed as normal with the enemy of Mother Germany. The ones who were responsible for the downfall of her great country had spoken as if she were no less a German that herself or any other member of the master race. She had dared to deceive her, and whilst still in her uniform no less! Her father had perhaps been right in his extent of describing the nature of the Jewish race - their cunning, their lying nature.

Only, she hadn't deceived Elsa - or, not so far as the blonde girl could tell. Not once had the girl (Anna, her name was?) said she wasn't a Jew. She had even told her she did not belong to the Hitler-Jegund, knowing full well where Elsa herself had just derived from that evening and risking being reported to the authorities for any number of possible charges she could have come up with. Hell, Elsa could have even handed Anna over to other brown shirts who were known to prowl around the reported Hasidic streets in wait like animals anticipating their prey, hoping one may leave at the right moment. In every sense of the term, Anna had risked her life for her honesty.

But why hadn't Elsa handed her over? _Shock_, she told herself. _You were just in shock and by the time you had gained your senses it was too late_. A nod to affirm herself followed this logical explanation for her behaviour. She was sure it would not be something to mention with any sort of pride - if at all - that she had let a Jewish girl speak so casually and then walk free onto the streets.

Elsa checked the clock in the hallway.

_And past the designated curfew!_

"Elsa! Elsa! Are you home?" The small voice rang through the halls followed by the clumsy patter of feet. A young boy of the same complexion appeared from the kitchen and ran over to hug his big sister's knees. The child was only small, and could seldom reach the tall girl's waist. Effectively losing her train for thought (for now) Elsa proceeded to lift the boy in her arms with a fond smile.

" 'Tag, Olaf. Have you been a good boy for Mama?" she asked, brushing the dirty blonde hair from where it had fallen in front of her brother's eyes in his mad rush to greet her.

"Ja! I've been a very good boy, Elsa," the boy grinned up at her. "Come, dinner!"

Elsa chuckled and carried the small boy into the kitchen where her mother awaited them both. The evening followed with light conversation over a modest meal. Elsa recounted her escapades in her division's meetings whilst Olaf made shapes out of the potato pieces in his broth and Elsa's mother listened with pride as her eldest child recounted the day's training. The seventeen-year-old did, however, leave out her meeting with the girl on the bus. Whilst she had since convinced herself she could not be blamed - the star was hidden after all, a crime in itself - it would still not take away the fact she had been civil to one of them. She had spoken to Elsa as if they were friends, equals. It would not do.

After some time, the blonde retired to bed at last, but despite her aching limbs and heavy eyes, sleep did not come as easily as it usually did. Every time she closed her eyes, Elsa saw the bright teal ones above freckles cheeks gazing back at her and laughing. Taunting her even in memory.

* * *

Hildesheim woke to the sun rising in the sky and the sounds of people busying themselves around the streets to collect their food stamps for the next week. A common practice among the less entitled or the less able was to arrive as early as possible before anybody else had done so. This method meant they could not be denied their share, or what little they could get, in favour of somebody else in the line. What was often overlooked, was how eager the brown shirts were to catch out these more vulnerable groups with yellow stars stitched upon their clothing, and reprimand them "in the name of the Fuhrer" for the hardships they had caused Germany.

It was this that Anna had anticipated, but sorely misjudged the likelihood of happening so close to home.

The red-head had half a small loaf tucked under her arm along with the rations for both her and her father in her cloak pocket. She was far beyond the town square, and so allowed herself to relax as she made her way around the corner onto the street which she lives with several other Jewish families. Anna felt the push before she heard the laughter, and crashed to the ground in a heap where the bread flew from her grasp. Quickly scrambling to retrieve it, she stopped when she saw the black boot stamp down on the brown package. It was not far that she had to raise her head to notice the familiar brown trousers of the Brown Shirt uniform.

Spit landed by the girl's head, and stocky young man towering over her with a look of clear disdain smeared across his harsh features. Whilst he was not blonde, he was a true German in all other respects; strong, tall, and perfectly groomed even down to his sideburns. He looked no older than 20 at most.

"Stolen, no doubt." Anna shook her head slowly, not wanting to anger him any further. Only when she felt a shove from another boot on her back did she realize two others had arrived to aid their friend. "Lying filth, of course you stole it!"

With her faced pressed against the gravel, Anna found it hard to speak but continued anyway. "Please, I'm honest… I gave up my ration stamps, I'm as fair as you." More pressure was added to the boot between her shoulder blades as the boy crouched down to look her in the eye, and small smirk across his features.

"You deserve nothing. Those rations are for Germans." And with that he stood again, slamming his boot on the bread over and over again before spitting on it, growing more and more aggressive in his actions. His fellow volunteers cheered him on and watched in delight, kicking Anna now and again to keep her on the floor, dare she try to ruin their show.

"Yavol! Destroy the tainted goods!"

He grinned and laughed along with his friends. After flattening the package completely and even ripping apart some of the paper under his boot, he face Anna once again. The grin fell slowly, his dark eyes seeming to ignite and burn slowly as the anger flared anew. Black leather lifted itself from the ground, and Anna prepared herself for impact.

"Hans."

A firm yet feminine voice rang out from behind the boy with sideburns. He turned with a smile and saluted in respect to the well know girl behind the voice. Anna, with her eyes still shut tight, tried to place the voice that seemed so unknown yet also familiar.

"Heil! Elsa, you are in time" he smirked, "I have caught this _schmutz_ with a loaf of bread." He turned back but stopped when a cool hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Nein. I will… Take care of this one myself. We have our own score to settle." Hans was about to protest but thought better of it. Elsa was the daughter of one of the highest ranking generals in this side of Germany, and outranked himself in the Hitler-Jegund. Only last week had the 12th Division wiped out the 5th in a mock battle of trench warfare. "Understood.. We will take out leave" he nodded, before adding in her ear "she may be a girl, but she is still a Jew. Show no mercy."

Anna became very aware of the weight between her shoulders lifting and footsteps retreating down the street. Then of a body crouching close to her once again. Silence hung in the air so thickly it was almost suffocating. Taking shallow breaths, Anna slowly willed herself to open her eyes. Elsa was busy inspecting the muddy loaf as though it were a penny she had stumbled across on the ground. The blonde stood slowly and took a few steps away from Anna. That's it, the Jewish girl thought, I'm at .the end.

Just then, Elsa spoke.

"Stand." It took Anna a moment to register that she was being addressed and not dragged away by Gestapo within minutes of being isolated from the other Brown Shirts. "I said, _stand_." This time the redhead did not waste her time and scrambled as best she could to her feet, scratches on her face and gravel all over her clothing. The fact she was now in a one-to-one confrontation with the stranger she had spoken to not a week ago, (the stranger she had thought she would never see again) made Anna more apprehensive than had the authorities already been hailed, or the boy - Hans - been permitted to have his way with her.

This was, ultimately, more terrifying than any physical threat. This was a battle of the psyche.

A trickle of warmth made it's way down the side of Anna's face, and she realized that she had been pressed harder into the gravel than she previously thought. Gazing at the blonde opposite her, she realized just how short she was compared to Elsa. She also noticed that Elsa's gaze barely shifted to the blood before her expression steeled once again, almost as if in the flicker of a moment she wanted to help Anna. A fallacy, of course. The redhead's eyes flickered to the crumpled load still in Elsa's grasp before lifting her head again to speak. Just upon opening her mouth, she was cut off sharply by a significantly less friendly Elsa than the one who had spoken to her on the bus two days ago.

"You are an impertinent, deceptive little thief… I should hand you over right now." Anna could feel a chill run down her back that had nothing to do with the bitter air around them. She lifted her head in a daring action and stood taller, trying to even out the difference in height in the hop it would make the girl before her all the less imposing. Suffice to say, it was a meager attempt. Teal eyes met icy blue ones and Elsa felt her breath catch. She told herself it was shock from the indignation of such an action before composing herself mentally and continuing. "You will tell me, right now, before God, where you received this loaf."

Anna squared her shoulders, taking a shaky inhalation of breath. "I traded my stamps at the market, the same as any other German." Oh, she should not have added that last part. Anna could have sworn the temperature around dropped another few degrees. She started to grow dizzy, her legs felt weak, and she stumbled. It was now that she realized just to what degree the boys had kicked her. The adrenaline of meeting Elsa again had begun to wear off. The shock and bravery faded into dull throbbing in her ribs and on her back where she was sure a boot-sized bruise would be waiting for her.

Elsa's eyes widened slightly and without thinking she gripped Anna's upper arm to steady the younger, small girl. Both froze, in the middle of the street in the early morning, here was a superior Brown-Shirt and exceptional Hitler-Jegund cadet holding up a common Jewish girl to keep her balance. Anna looked up at Elsa, fear in her eyes barely masking gratitude.

"Elsa, you-"

The blonde's grip tightened.

"You will call me officer, you understand?" A rough shove sent Anna stumbling backwards towards a street lamp before gravity won out and she fell to the ground again. A flash of remorse passed over Elsa's features before the blonde turned away from the sight of Anna on the ground once again.

"Officer Elsa… Danke." Anna smiled despite the situation, despite the tensing in Elsa's shoulders, and despite her own brain telling her to just stop talking. "You are a good person, and you have a heart."

"What would you know about what a good person is," Elsa stated coldly. "You are nothing but a filthy Jewish girl." Even somebody who had no knowledge of Elsa's natural demeanour would have been able to tell the falter in her tone as the words left her mouth. She had no problem with asserting her status and showing her indifference towards others. Though, truth be told, this was the first direct interaction had encountered with a Jewish person, let alone a girl younger than herself. She supposed before the Fuhrer's rules and declarations she must have. But that was before the truth came out. Now, having to assert authority over Jewish person for the first time, let alone that person taking the form of a bleeding girl clearly younger than herself whom she had laughed with just two nights earlier… It was overwhelming to say the least. Then, she said those words.

"God made us equal and good. Through his eyes, _a'donai_, we are all his children." The redhead smiled and wiped away some dirt from her face. "You are good too."

Even being treated so coldly, she still believed everybody to have a pure heart.

Anna lowered her gaze again after a moment, awaiting reprimand. Her father always was telling her to play the games more artfully, but she had yet to realized what he meant by that. Instead, the sound of shuffling paper filled her ears and then a dull thud beside her. A brown package landed on the ground, torn but in no worse shape than it had been earlier. Teal eyes lifted just in time to catch Elsa's piercing eyes before a blonde braid whipped around. Footsteps sounded and faded as Elsa walked down the street, away from Anna.

Anna smiled, wrapping the tattering bread in her scarf to save as much of it as she could. "

"You pretend to have a heart of ice, but I know better."

Dark brown pools watched on as Anna got up shakily from the ground and dusted herself off as much as she could bear to. A scowl formed before a smirk took over, sadistic and unforgiving. Turning away from the corner of the alley at the opposite end of the street, Hans walked away.

"I knew you were weak, Elsa."


	4. Winter Festivities

**A/**N

**Ok, so I've been having a shitty time with my exams and anxiety from family conflict which, unfortunately, led to a relapse not long after writing this chapter and starting the next one. On top of that, my laptop has packed in and I'm trying to recover it. I've always stored at least one chapter ahead in case something came up, and I'm glad I took the incentive.**

**Sorry for all the people following this story, I promise I'll get back to regular updates when I've found my feet again**

P.S: BE AWARE OF THE DATES.

**_4th December, 1938_**

The halls of Hildesheim's local secondary school were buzzing with energy as student began preparing to celebrate Christmas in the following weeks. In classrooms, some students had managed to get their parents to bake "sun wheel biscuits" to celebrate the holidays. Traditions that would incorporate Jesus had been altered under Hitler's rule, but the joyous nature season was still present in all of the children and parents in the small town.

Elsa smiled down at the bird in her hand, warmth still radiating from the small treat from where Olaf had shoved it into her hand before running into school. These are for you classmates, Elsa had called after him. The small boy just laughed and held up the paper bag with several others inside. The message was clear, Mama didn't have to know. The blonde girl chuckled to herself and took a bite as she walked through the halls, a small satchel with her books hanging off her shoulder. Around the school there was the odd poster of Odin, riding a stallion and carrying his large sack of presents for the children. Students bustled to their morning registration, talking animatedly about how their mothers had sewn flags to hang around their house, whilst others kept unusually quiet about the entire ordeal, keep their heads down and only replying when they needed to.

There were so many distractions about her that had it not been for a loud crash of falling books, Elsa would not have even noticed the girl falling to the ground right beside her. She blinked, and made to crouch down beside the younger student and help. She had barely made it to the point of bending her knees before the redheaded girl has scooped up her books and quickly scrambled away down the hall. Elsa went to call after her, but stopped when she noticed a flash of yellow on the girl's clothing and clenched her fist instead. Shaking her head to clear her mind of what she was just about to do, the blonde turned and continued to her classroom.

* * *

A bell resonated to signal the start of lunch for the upper classes. Years three, four, and five had been dismissed from class and congregated to the cafeteria, the usual order of students forming a line. Those with yellow stars on their sleeve would be served last, if at all. The younger children would be served first and those of Aryan descent would be give extra servings if they wished discreetly - it was just how things had become, and no student could complain. Elsa, however, always denied the extra servings the staff offered her. Being the daughter of a senior officer and carrying the traits that positively define "German" in the eyes of the Fuhrer meant she was often offered benefits by staff members. Despite her heritage, she never felt right taking things away from what other students may need more than herself.

Elsa turned with her tray and was pushed as something small collided with her side. An instant sense of déjà vu crept over her as she caught a glimpse of auburn hair for the second time that day.

"I'm so, so sorry…" Her voice was soft, but there was something there behind her tone. Fear, she realized. She's afraid of me. Then she saw the star again and the fear in her voice made sense. A Jewish girl had just walked straight into one of the most revered students in the local community and sent them both crashing to the floor. Elsa scowled at the girl upon realizing who, no, what she was and brushed stray pieces of food off of her clothing.

"How… How dare you.." Elsa raised herself to standing just as boys from her division ran over to drag the other girl up off the floor. Then it happened.

Elsa's eyes met the younger girls for the briefest moment before the boys dragged her out of the canteen. What surprised Elsa, more than anything, was the lack of anger in those teal orbs. There was no contempt, no disdain, and even the fear was barely concealing something totally unexpected - forgiveness. This girl, who had knocked Elsa to the ground and was accountable for the bad seasons that had befallen Germany, was forgiving her. It was bizarre. It was completely wrong on so many levels. She was a prime example of the master race! She had authority over any Jew in her school or in her country for that matter.

Elsa stopped her thoughts in their tracks. When did she get so arrogant, even if the girl was one of them?

A boy Elsa recognized from the fifth division made his way over to her. He was one of the group to follow and help her fellow 12th division members take the girl outside, and was currently holding out his hand with a wide grin on his features, the way a puppy might look when expecting praise for a trick well performed.

"Hans Jaeger," he smiled as Elsa shook his hand firmly. "Pleasure to finally meet the famous Elsa. You're exceptional on the battlefield."

He winked, and it was all Elsa could do to suppress the shudder running down her spine. She nodded politely and feigned a smile towards the boy in front of her. Whilst he was quite clearly older than she despite her tallness, there was a distinct air of immaturity about him, as though he were much younger than he claimed to be. If she could remember him on the battlefield, perhaps Elsa would have been able to shut away those thoughts or confirm them, but no feat worth mentioning to her recollection could be recalled from the recesses of her mind. Shaking her head subtly to shake her from her daydreaming, she stood taller once more. Without even trying, the young woman could create an atmosphere of sophistication.

"The pleasure is mine, Hans," she replied, letting go at his hand with thinly veiled disdain. "Do you live up to your namesake, or is it a goal you still try to reach?"

Hans did not appreciate that which he took as a jibe, and it was evident in the way his once kind smile faltered for the briefest of moments before an unkind smirk took it's place.

"I live up to my namesake, Elsa. Let's hope you bring us into a new era and do your own justice."

Elsa refused to scowl and give this arrogant man in front of her the satisfaction, but there was no mistaking the piercing nature of her icy blue eyes as they narrowed, a missile approaching it's target. Her father was one of the highest ranking officers and was close enough to the Fuhrer to almost be considered his right-hand man. With this came a great deal of responsibility on his children, and as the eldest it was Elsa's job to keep the family name held in respectability.

"My father, a Sonderfuhrer of our local Squadron, is a proud man."

And with that, Hans nodded tautly before saluting with a resounding "heil" from students in the canteen following suit before he walked out of the cafeteria altogether. Elsa exhaled, letting out a breath she did not even realizing she was holding. Something was off about that Hans boy. Of course, she had met childish men when her father had nights in his study with his fellow officers, but this was something entirely new and altogether unsettling. There wasn't just a childish nature, there was a sadism that gave Elsa the nagging impression that he was a dangerous enemy even to their own kind. Still, it was over now and she should continue with the rest of her day.

* * *

Anna had been thrown into the hall by students she recognized vaguely from various classes around school. The only that did eventually strike her was that all of the students - the only exception that older boy with the sideburns - seemed to be on familiar terms with the blonde girl she bumped into. She didn't know the blonde's name, but that hair was definitely distinct even among other Aryan girls in their school. She was an idiot for not taking extra care. Anna Erlichmann was clumsy and accepted this fact, but that didn't mean others would permit such a massive cock-up as knocking down a girl like the one she had bumped into today and making her lose her lunch.

The redheaded girl grunted in a less than dignified manner when she hit the ground with a dull thud. Her hip collided with the harsh marble floor where a bruise was surely starting to form. One of the girls who had helped spat at Anna's feet with disdain and disgust etched across every crevice of her face. What saddened Anna was not that she was being treated so harshly for the doctrine she had been raised under and held so dear to her heart, but was instead the fact that this girl had once been kind before she let hatred consume her soul - it was often joked they were cousins from their likeness of freckles (of which, Anna noted, had since been covered up with some form of power or another) and teal eyes.

"Stupid Juden! How dare you do that to somebody so clearly worth more than a strain of your hair," one shouted, a boy with crooked nose and fierce eyes. "You deserve to rot in a pit where pigs eat your remains!"

"Ja!" The girl and their fellow comrade joined in the with scolding and torrent of abuse being hurled at Anna, still on the floor and back up against the wall. She only hoped she hadn't angered them to the point of physical violence. Sure, it was technically against the rules of school conduct, but there was always a loophole when it came to a Hasidic girl or boy. There was always a lack of witnesses to the punch that caused Ezekiel his black eye or Jane her scratched arm.

"Please, it was an accident…" Anna could only resort to trying to explain herself in the hopes that repeating this honest mantra would appeal to at least of their senses of rationality so she may be left alone, in peace, to reflect and go to class early as she always had. It was discovered a short while after the Fuhrer came to power that shoving in the hallways can be directed to a general target, and that the best way to avoid being propelled into s classroom desk through the door was to get there earlier than the other students.

Heavy footsteps sounded from the cafeteria, where a loud calamity of chatter filled the air before a bang quickly muffled it once more. A bag was emptied of Anna's head by a student she didn't recognise. Or where they a teacher themselves, and finally abandoned all pretence of professionalism? Through the clatter of books and the odd pencil end, Anna could have sworn she picked up a muttered "swien" coming from a deep voice above her. The thoughts were confirmed when grunts of amusement formed a response to the crude remark by the initial students who had dragged Anna out in the first place.

It wasn't until the end of the day where a somewhat limping Anna caught a glimpse of that perfect platinum blonde braid from afar just as the older girl rounded the gate and continued walking home. She considered running to catch up and apologise in person now the blonde had clearly calmed down, however decided against it. What good would it do in any case?

She was still a Jew, after all,


End file.
